Opera Software's Hakon Wium Lie Wins Prestigious Recognition

Named to the 'TR-100' by MIT

Oslo, Norway- Nov. 4, 1999

Opera Software's Hakon Wium Lie has been chosen to be on Technology Review's list of hundred exceptional entrepreneurs and young visionaries most likely to make significant technological contributions in the next century. The group, called 'TR100', was selected by a distinguished panel of judges, and the list of names was announced in a ceremony at Massachusetts Institute of Technolgy (MIT) in Boston today.

Lie is best known for proposing Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) in 1994. CSS is a technology that improves esthetics and performance of Web pages, while also making content accessible to non-visual users. "We are proud on Hakon's behalf" said Opera's CEO, Jon Stephenson von Tetzchner. "His work on CSS has changed the face of the Web and the recognition shows that technological innovation indeed can take place far from Silicon Valley and Redmond." The Nordic countries are also represented in the TR100 group by Linus Torvalds of Finland, known for his work on the Linux operating system.

The panel of judges includes Nicholas Negroponte (Director, MIT Media Laboratory), Robert Metcalfe (inventor of Ethernet, founder of 3Com), Kim Polese (President, CEO and founder of Marimba Inc.), John Doerr (venture capitalist, Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers) and David Baltimore (President, California Institute of Technology, Nobel Laureate 1975). The judges concentrated on candidates in the areas of biotechnology, information technology, and chemistry/materials science. All candidates are under the age of 35.

Technology Review is the world's oldest technology magazine. It focuses on innovation -- the process by which humanity continuously upgrades its tools and techniques. In a statement, the magazine said: "If we had drawn up the TR100 list a century ago it might have included names like Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Alexander Graham Bell and Marie Curie."

Hakon Wium Lie is currently Chief Technology Officer at Opera Software, creators of the Opera browser known for its small size and high speed. Lie's role is to ensure that innovative features are added to the browser while being more standards-complient than the competitors. He is uniquely qualified for this position having worked for the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C, the organization coordinating the Web's technical development) since its start. At W3C, Lie was responsible for the development of style sheets, a technology to improve estethics and performance on the Web. Lie first proposed CSS in 1994 while at CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics and birthplace of the Web. Before the Web, Lie worked at Telenor Research and at the MIT Media Laboratory, which awarded him an M.S. in visual studies in 1991.

About Opera Software

Opera Software ASA is an industry leader in the development of Web browsers for the desktop and embedded markets, partnering with companies such as IBM, AMD, Symbian, Canal+ Technologies, Ericsson, Sharp and Lineo (now a division of Embedix). The Opera browser has received international recognition from end users and the industry press for being faster, smaller and more standards-compliant than other browsers. Opera is available on Windows, Mac, Linux/Solaris, OS/2, Symbian OS and QNX. Opera Software ASA is a privately held company headquartered in Oslo, Norway. Learn more about Opera at www.opera.com.

About Opera Software ASA

Opera Software ASA has redefined Web browsing for PCs, mobile phones and other networked devices. Opera's cross-platform Web browser technology is renowned for its performance, standards compliance and small size, while giving users a faster, safer and more dynamic online experience. Opera Software is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with offices around the world. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. Learn more about Opera at http://www.opera.com/.

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